First Edition
by SilverMoonVixen
Summary: It's only been about a month or so after the Deep Roads expedition, and yet Varric has managed to finish and publish the book he's started writing just after he met Hawke. Too bad the second mistake he made was giving Hawke a copy of the first edition of his newest book: Mystic Stone. What was his first? Well... Hawke/Varric, Rated T for mild suggestions of sex and foul language
1. Chapter 1

A.N. So I had this one shot dancing in my head for awhile, and thought, why not? So here… we… go…!

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age 2 or any of the characters therin. I'm just playing with Bethesda's toys while they're working on Inquisition :D

The Hanged Man was ripe with the voices, shouts and scents of every drunkard in lowtown tonight. Varric wasn't overly positive what the occasion was, but guessing from the ragged and vomit-stained 'good clothes' he assumed it was a wedding.

"Eyes off the bride, Varric, lest you catch her attention and rob her husband of his new bride." Varric chuckled as Isabella slid provocatively into the chair next to him, her eyes on one of the men in the crowd. "I believe there may be more of a risk of you robbing the bride of her new husband, Rivani. The looks you're giving him would make even Bianca jealous." Isabella turns said wicked gaze onto the paragon of manliness himself.

"But how can I not, Varric? He's a pinnacle of manliness, second only to you of course." "Of course." "Although that one in the red tunic keeps giving me eyes…" Varric tilted his head to see which one she meant.

"All the men are wearing red Rivani, in case you've failed to notice." "Exactly." She said, winking saucily at the chuckling dwarf. Hawke took that opportunity to slide into the seat on the other side of Varric, the female mage looking harried.

"I think about 5 of those men pinched my ass on the way in." She scowled, blowing a tuft of her silver hair out of her face. Varric was forced to shove down a possessive burn of outrage and give Hawke lecherous grin.

"We could always sic Rivani on them." Hawke smiled almost grimly. "I don't think a bum-pinching deserves a trip to Anders." She murmured to Varric, causing the dwarf to chuckle into his pint of the piss Coriff calls ale.

"I heard that." Isabella glared at the two of them before getting up with a huff.

"Anyways, I think I'll try my luck with that one with the dark hair. He's been giving me eyes since he walked in. Later Hawke, Varric." She said, winking and waving as she walked away.

"Don't they all have dark hair?" Hawke murmured to Varric. "Exactly." Was Varric's response, much to Hawke's amusement.

They watched the party for a bit, drinking and sharing tales, before the brawl began. "Here we go…" Hawke murmured before shifting her staff so it was more easily accessible, Varric doing the same with Bianca.

"Do we even want to bother with them this time, Hawke? Remember last time?" Hawke grinned at the dwarf, the old mischief that had died with her brother in the Deep Roads back for a moment.

"Oh come on Varric, it took them WEEKS to defrost the guy – and he never tried anything again!" "I know!" Varric chucked, "But it cost me an arm and a leg to keep that from going to the Templars." Hawke flinched and instantly the mischief was gone. Cursing internally, Varric stood and grabbed Hawke's arm.

"Come on, let's go up to my room. There's something I want to give you anyways." Curious, and suddenly unwilling to fight, Hawke weaved through brawls, around vomit and broken bottles, and followed Varric up the stairs.

Safely in his room, Hawke sat on the corner of his table, the only thing tall enough for her to rest against temporarily. It was a piece of work trying to get in and out of those chairs, so she only really bothered with it when she intended to stay there for awhile. Varric, in the meantime, had disappeared into his room a moment, before returning with a book in his hands. He passed it to Hawke, grinning. She met his eyes a moment, confused, before looking down and reading the title.

"Mystical Stone." She read aloud, her grin large and infectious. "First addition." Varric added, sinking into a chair, also grinning. His fingers steepled as he looked at Hawke, grinning and sitting on his table. Maker she was beautiful… long legged, toned, and perfectly proportioned. Her hair cascaded down her back like a silver river, pooling on the table slightly, her vibrant blue eyes scanning the first page of the book eagerly.

"You actually finished it! Between selling all the junk from the Deep Roads and the trip itself, I wasn't sure if you would anytime soon." Varric moved a hand to his chest, a mock hurt look crossing his features.

"Hawke, I'm hurt! I'm a story teller first and an adventurer second!" Her eyes glanced at him even as her smile turned into a smirk. "So you couldn't escape as many merchant meetings as you wanted, huh?" Varric's sheepish grin made her chuckle.

"They're like hounds Hawk, I'm telling you! They could sniff me out through anything – including the Hanged Man's aromatic perfume!" "I wouldn't call this stink 'aromatic', Varric." She teased before closing the book with a gentle 'snap'.

"At least now I've got something to hide behind. Mother's been insistent I go out and find a fiancé." Hawke shook her head, not noticing Varric flinch as his gut twisted. She looked back to him and already his features were smoothed out into a mask of amusement.

"Nobody on the market catch your eye Hawke?" The mage's eyes glittered as she winked at him. "Sadly the only one I want is the paragon of manliness, stolen away from my tender embrace by a mysterious woman who he named his crossbow after." Varric's breath caught in his chest a moment before he chuckled.

"Now Hawke, while I know there is no other man or dwarf quite as magnificent as I, there must be someone who's got your eye." Hawke's grin was teasing, though there was something in her eyes he couldn't quite place.

"Nary a one. But no matter, I have a book to keep me company now. So adieu, good dwarf, I shall come a-calling when I have an adventure for us to share." She teased, the darkness still in her eyes when she left.


	2. Chapter 2

A.N. Update~! Never thought the day would come when I could do this again! *dabs her eyes with a tissue* Allons-y!

Disclaimer: Once more kittens, I don't own Dragon Age or any of the characters therin.

Book securely in hand, her mother staved off for the time being, Hawke dressed for a quick jaunt. It was dangerous traveling alone, she knew, but she needed the air and quiet. So she packed her staff, a number of potions and poisons, and her book. Thankfully the trip to the docks had been uneventful, mostly thanks to Varric's urchins, she knew. Tipping the one she had spotted following her, and asking him to keep watch for her, she slid down the ladder at the end of a pier, just until she was almost in the water, before she swung around it. Along the bottom of the pier were small metal bars which she swung across until she was at the platform just underneath the middle of the pier. Only the urchin she'd tipped knew of her hiding spot, and sat on the side of the pier, his feet dangling over the side so she knew where he was.

She had built the platform herself just after her arrival into Kirkwall, making it large enough to duck into and curl up in with a lamp and a book, but small enough it wasn't submerged during the high tide. Either she had spelled it to be water-proof and to seal should water attempt to come through the entrance. The result was her own little haven on the water.

She'd been here many times over the years, and had brought cushions and blankets to make her haven more comfortable. She knew the urchin used it as a home and didn't mind in the least bit; in fact she often left food behind for him. The two had grown a close, silent relationship. He was mute by an act of cruelty, and she was silent by nature. As a result they simply looked out for each other. And so, guarded by one of the boys she trusted most, Hawke settled into the cushions and opened the book to the first page. She found a dedication in there that made her heart clench.

"To my favorite bird of prey. May your wings never be clipped and your skies be forever clear." She quickly turned the page, her eyes watering. The dwarf cared for her, that much was obvious, though clearly not as much as she cared for him. Hawke had been staving off suitors, ripping up invitations to parties and overall hiding from the men her mother had been inviting for one reason: She was already in love. It was just never to be. She was a human mage – an apostate at that – and he was a dwarf. One that was still in love with the memory of the woman named Bianca.

The sun was setting, not that that mattered to Hawke, but the urchin would likely be cold. She glanced out of the little shelter before sending the smallest of flames under his feet. Just enough to warm him and draw his attention, and not harm him. Sure enough, the little feet disappeared and an eye peered into the hole. Hawke gestured for him to come down, smiling. The eye disappeared and the padding of quickly moving feet sounded over her head. Hawke shifted to the side to allow the boy to climb in easily, and patted the cushion next to her when he did arrive.

"I figured it was cold out there, and that you could use some food and warmth for a bit." The boy lowered his eyes and smiled shyly before nodding and climbing in carefully. She passed him some of the bread and cheese she'd packed, much to his apparent delight, and lit the lamp that swung gently overhead. He sank into the cushions and quickly fell asleep, snoring gently as she read on, enthralled by Varric's words. She could almost hear him whispering them in her ear.

That was right about when she found the smut. Such things weren't uncommon in Varric's book, indeed, most of them were based around his plans for smut. This one, however, had Hawke staring at one word. Well, a name rather. _And as the dwarf leaned in to kiss the sleeping mage's silken and plump lips, he whispered her name adoringly. "Hawke…"_ She almost shut the book, she almost threw it into the water and attempt to wipe her memory clean of that sentence, but something made her continue on. That wasn't the only apparent typo. _The eager dwarf latched onto the moaning mage's breast, suckling her even as she breathlessly moaned his name. "Varric, please, don't stop."_ Those were the only two typo's throughout the scene, that she could see, but it was enough to have her staring at them, her mind racing. What could this mean? Could this mean… could he feel the same for her? She gently closed the book, having slid a bookmark in place. She saw the boy wake and stare at her sleepily.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll sleep here tonight." She whispered, distress wrecking havoc on her voice. The boy nodded instantly and offered her a blanket. Murmuring her thanks, and silently casting a spell to ward off any crawlies, Hawke curled into the pillows and fell into an uneasy sleep that not even the sound of waves could soothe.

Varric, in the meantime, was frantically searching every nook and cranny that he knew of to find Hawke, the letter from his editor clutched in his fist.

_Varric, _

_After some re-review of your book 'Mystic Stone' I'd noticed a couple of errors I had missed before. Nothing major, of course, simply two wrong names. You accidentally wrote yourself and a woman named 'Hawke' into the first paragraph of the first love scene. Worry not as, the error has been rectified for further editions._

_Yours Sincerely_

_Allan Stoneheart,_

_Orzimmar Printing Services._

Maker! Of all the things to fuck up, of all the mishaps overlooked, of anything that could have gone so terribly wrong! And he couldn't even find her to explain – or make up and explanation! Anger he could deal with, soothe even. Hurt, he could try to heal over time. But what if she never forgave him? What if she hated him for not just coming out and admitting he was in love with the human mage? Maker knows she'd given him opportunity after opportunity, hope evident in those gorgeous eyes. But he couldn't, no he wouldn't, let her settle with him; not when there were rich and handsome _human_ men lining up for her attention. He leaned against a building, panting from jogging all over the place with no sign from her.

"Hawke… where ARE you?"


	3. Chapter 3

A.N. Last chapter was crap… this one may end up that way too, as I'm not really feeling it anymore, but I want to finish this off so meh :P Allons-y and let's just skip the silly disclaimer.

Shouting was what woke Hawke up, along with someone frantically shaking her. Hawke's eyes snapped open to see the grim, almost angry face of the urchin. The she heard the shout. "Come on you lowlifes! Which one wants to say hello to Bianca next!?" Hawke threw herself out of the platform in a heartbeat, her staff across her back. The bars flew under her hands, and she was on the latter within the blink of an eye. She climbed up to see a gang of about 10 or so carta circling Varric. Knowing the carta, there were more in the shadows, lurking and waiting. Fury roared through her and she rose, magic searing through her. All that faltered when she saw an arrow lodge itself in Varric's shoulder. Instantly a barrier was up around the kneeling dwarf, shielding him from the barrage and drawing attention to the very pissed off mage. She saw him and the other dwarves look at her, all shocked.

"Hawke?" Varric rasped, confused. "You. Hurt. My. Dwarf." Hawke ground out, ignoring Varric. "May the Maker take pity on your souls, and may you rest in peace with your ancestors." She snarled before throwing her hands into the air with a roar. Wind roared suddenly, knocking the unprepared carta onto their arses, bolts of lightning slamming into the ground where they had stood, singing the cobblestone. Varric worked the arrow out of his shoulder, hissing in pain when he managed to rip it free. Bastards had managed to rip a hold in his duster too, that couldn't go unpunished. He attempted to raised Bianca to help Hawke, only to have the pain in his shoulder stop him.

It was likely for the better, as fire soon rained from the sky as well, roots growing from the ground and binding the victims of Hawke's wrath, to the ground. They howled in agony as they burnt to death, or were struck by lightning. Ice flew by Varric's head to lodge itself in archer's chests, a barrier coming up in front of the furious elemental mage to protect her from any assassins. It didn't take long for her to slaughter the poor sods, and it was only when Varric was positive that they were alone that he attempted to holster Bianca. He hissed in pain as he raised her, only to be surrounded in light. Blinking as he was healed, he smiled and turned to thank Hawke, only to find her face first on the ground.

"Hawke!" He cried, running to her and sliding to his knees once he was beside her. She was pale and sweaty, a couple of viles of mana potion lying broken beside her, some of the shards cutting her skin. "Oh Hawke…" He murmured before scooping her up and into his arms.

He managed to make it the hanged man, and slipped past the sleeping regulars. Nodding at Coriff he made his way into his suit. He gently set Hawke on his bed and brushed her hair from her face. Unable to resist he pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning around to move away. A slender hand stopped him.

"I finished your book." Varric's heart rose into his throat. He tried to swallowed it down as he turned to her, trying to look nonchalant. "Well that's good, how did you like it." Her eyes bored into his and he knew he couldn't keep the act up any longer. He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face with his hands wearily. "I'm sorry Hawke." He ground out. He heard cloth rustling, then her frame draping itself over his shoulders as she hugged him from behind.

"I'll forgive you on one condition." She murmured into his ear. The dwarf half turned, wary and hopeful. "And what might this condition be, Hawke?" "I want to reenact the scene." "What scene?" His mouth was dry – he knew which scene she meant. But he couldn't – not with her. He wouldn't let her sell herself short with him.

"Don't be coy Varric, you know." "I can't." He rasped, all finesse gone. It was so unlike him that she drew back, startled. "I can't let you sell yourself short… literally." His chuckle was dark. She shook her head, concerned. This wasn't her Varric, not her usual one.

"You know, I think I might have made a mistake." She murmured, causing the dwarf's heart to clench. "I thought I was in Varric Tethras's room, my apologies." She murmured and stood, and moved to walk away. Varric blinked.

"You are in my room, Hawke." Had she hit her head on the cement when she fell? "You're wrong, ser dwarf. You see, Varric wouldn't say such stupid things." The dwarf blinked. "He'd realize I don't care about height, race or whatever difference the two of us have. I just love him." She shrugged. "The heart wants what it wants, why make love more complicated by involving differences and similarities? The heart'll win out anyways." Varric grinned despite himself and stood.

"Sorry about that Hawke. I stepped out for a moment. My angsty twin shouldn't visit anymore. Bloody bugger's such a downer." She was right and he knew it. So, no time like the present.

"Now, about that reenactment…"


End file.
